INSURANCE ITEMS . CAUSES OF FIRE—ACTUAL AND PROSPECTIVE . —A glance at tbe causes of fire in the list of fire losses In this and the preceding numbers ot the REVIEW , will convince every body that a large number of fires occurring at this season are due to defective flues . This is what might be readily expected at this season of the year , and merely carries out the experience o ( former years . The flues and stove pipes naturally become foul during several Winter months of constant use and the strain caused by the high winds so prevalent in the month of March , are very apt to develop existing defects in flues , or to occasion them and the accumulated soot taking fire , has an excellent opportunity to occasion these losses so frequently recorded in this column . This mild Winter is very apt to be followed by a long chilly Spring , extending the use of stoves beyond the usual period , and no one should neglect an early investigation of stove-pipes and flues , to see that they are i...

WHAT IS SAID ABOUT OUR CHAMPION OFFER . I prize very highly the engraving which I received this week . Consider the FARMERS REVIEW a No . 1 paper . T . KEENE , Valparaiso , Ind . Engraving just received . It is a beautiful picture . G . W . BUFFUM , Owatonna , Minn . The engraving is received . It is truly a gem , both in conception and execution . I am greatly pleased with the FARMERS REVIEW . E . F . WAY , Claremont , Minn . The engraving and FARMERS REVIEW received ; both very good . JOHN WEIR , Terre Haute , Ind . The elegant engraving is received . We consider the FARMERS REVIEW a neat spicy paper , just suited to the farmer and gardener . J . S . HARRIS &amp;amp; SON , La Crescent , Minn . Your beautiful picture received . For finish and attention of detail it is far in advance of any picture ever offered as a premium that we have seen . GEO . W . SHAW , Garden Grove , Iowa . Engraving received ; must have the others . J . C . MARSHALL , La Cygne , Kan . Engraving received...

PROBABLE POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES . A great many persons are now guessing at what figure the forthcoming census will place the population of this country . Prof . Tucker in his book Progress of the United States , estimated that in 1880 we should have 54 , 586 , 795 people . His rule for estimating was that by adding three per cent , of population to the total number each year a very close approximation would be reached . He wrote many years ago , and began with 1830 . It will be seen by the following comparative table that his estimates thus far have proven very close : Population l &amp;gt; 7 Census . Estimated . In 1830 12 , 868 . 020 18 , 811 , 118 In 1840 17 . 069 . 45 S 17 , 217 , 706 In 1850 23 . 191 . 876 28 . 188 . 004 In 1860 31 . 443 . 821 31 . 095 , Mf &amp;gt; In 1870 38 , 558 , 371 40 . 617 , 608 The rule made an over- estimate between 1860 and 1870 , but of course Prof . Tucker did not take into consideration the degtrBotiye war 9 f tft ? rebflUoji . MR...

LITERARY . LITTLE WORKS . • . Lahore e » t ovare —on this Earth We work and worship—every man must work ; Ev n those who worship only , as It seems , And do no work , may influence the World . And work salvation to some sinning soul . Let us not judge—what we mny think a waste Of precious time , may be bnt sowing seeds Of mighty vineyards growing goodly fruit . Nor think that great things must always be done To show the World what prayerful work can do . Ev n listless Angers playing with Time s sands , As If Life were but oue long holiday , May yet point mo als to the idle mind , And grains of sand prove to It grains of gold . And though the work of many lives , when years Have passed , appears as passed away with them Yet have the workers gone to their reward ; Not In the praises of this little world , — Not In grand prayers sung to organ tones—Not In great ostentatious gifts to men—But In the little worships—little worksDone daily , that their memory will live ! Walt , work and wo...

SSSL PARLOR PICTURES , ssssi ( MOT CHEAP CHROMOS , BUT WORKS OF REAL MERIT . ) -WITH : THE FARMERSREVIEW . FREE OF CASH COST , to all who send the names of new subscribers for REVIEW ; and also furnished to all at a mere nominal additional cost to the subscription price . Carefully read terms . HOW TO OBTAIN THE BELOW DESCRIBED PICTURES FREE ! Thousands of them have been sold at from $ 3 . 00 to $ 3 . 00 per Copy . To Present Subscriber *!— To any present subscriber sending us Two S UBSCRIPTIONS and Two DOLLARS , we will send FREE , POST-PAID , any one of the beautiful premium Engiavings below described , or for THREE SUBSCRIPTIONS and THREE DOLLARS , we will send A PAIR ( any two ) of the Engravings . TO Renewing Subscribers : —Toany person renewing for a year from expiration of present subscription , and sending ONE Nhw SUBSCRIPTION besides their own , with Two DOLLARS , we will send any one picture FREE , or for Two NEW SUBSCRIPTIONS with their own and T HREE P OLLARS , we will s...

FOR YOUNG READERS . THE FARMER WHO BECAME DRUMMAJOR . Peggy : Our father worked upon a farm , He wore a linen smock ; Meggy : Iwas gathered to a yoke on top , And hung down like a frock . Peggy : Oh , he was very ineer , And mother used to scold him , Meggy : And he would always do Exactly what we told him , — Peggy : Ex-actly what we told him . Mtegy : His shoulders had a little stoop Which mother tried to cure : Peggy : She used to say his shambling walk She scarcely could endure . Meggy : But he played the fiddle well , And sang on Sunday sweetly ; Peggy : He beat tbe time for all , And knew the tune completely , — Meggy : Yes , knew the tune eom-pletely . Peggy : When mother called , Come , John I he came . And smiling , chopped the wood ; Meggy : He drew the water , swept the path , And helped her all he could . Peggy : He used to romp with Meg and me , Meggy : Yes , and with Polly Wentels , Peggy : But oh , my sakes ! that was before He put on regimentals ! Meggy : Yes , put o...

THE HOME . TRUST THE CHILDREN . Trust the children ! never doubt them ! Build a wall of love about them . After sowing seeds of duty , Trust them for the flowers of beauty . Trust the children . Dont suspect them . Let your confidence direct tliein At the hearth , or ln the wildwood . Meet them on the plain of childhood . Trust the little ones . Remember May Is not like chill December ; Let not words of rage or madness Check their happy notes of gladness . Trust the little ones ; yet guide them , And above all , ne er deride them ; Should they trip or should they blunder , Lest you snap love s cord asunder . Trust the children ! Let them treasure Mother s faith in boundless measure ; Father s love In them Confiding , Then no secrets theyll bu hiding . Trust the children ! just as He did . Who for such once sweetly pleaded . Trust and guide , but never doubt them , Build a wall of love about them . —Phrenological Journal . HOME ADORNMENTS . Our articles on this subject have met with ...

ANOTHER WONDERFUL PARROT I will go back several years and tell you of the most remarkable parrot I ever knew . My father , knowing my desire to have one , employed a connoisseur to make the purchase . It was a fine , young gray bird , with a scarlet tail . When she came to me , the bird had never spoken , and it was some weeks before she did . I took great pains with her . When she began to speak , I taught her to do so distinctly , and Poll soon caught the tones of my voice , though I never anticipated she would become the clever , intelligent bird she did . Her speaking powers were wonderful—not as a simple imitation of words , but like a reasoning , thinking creature . She was my constant companion . When I went to the garden , she would go too , and never attempt to leave me . When I was alone reading or writing , she came out of her cage and amused herself by _ walking about the room . Poll was excessively proud and sensitive . Sometimes my brother teased her , and spoke in a c...

PUZZLES AND CONUNDRUMS . The answers to puzzles in REVIEW NO , 12 , for the correct solution of which we offered the prize , we publish in this number ; also the names of the fortunate young people who have sent correct answers to all the five puzzles . The answers are : To A , Chitty . To C , PaDua , AnDes , InDus , SeDan , BaDen . To D , White , Onion , Utica , Cairo : W C A A H C ON ION T T R U O E To E . Remove lines No s 5 , 6 , 8 , 10 , 15 , 17 , 19 and 20 , leaving the following squares : To B , Red Riding Hood . There are several who send solutions to all the puzzles , but in puzzle D ( geographical star puzzle ) use the White river instead of the Onion river . As there is such a river in Vermont , we have allowed these answers to count as correct . The following are the winners of the PREMIUMS : MAGGIE MULLEN , Walnut , la . ; MrrrrE ST JOHN , Manhattan , Kan . ; PETER MCGRANN , Green Isle , Minn . ; Louis STARR , Elsah , III . ; NETTIE V . BUCKNER , Morganfield , Ky . ; AL...

MISCELLANEOUS JEWISH AND CHINESE BUSINESS COM PETITION . Bismarck s organ , the Oremboten , is publishing a series of articles upon the number , standing and peculiarities of the Jewish race . In regard to number it estimates the total of the race at six millions , of which only one sixth is non-European . The Review of New York says that the estimate for Asia , 750 , 000 , is probably under the truth ; that for Africa , 500 , 000 , may be above the truth . So is the quota for America , 150 , 000 , far below the real figure ; although the two millions claimed by some of our New York Israelites is perhaps an exaggeration , there being scarcely that number of Germans even in the United States . Leaving out the Jews of Turkey in Europe , and those of Asia and Africa , where they exercise but an unimportant influence , we will quote further from our New York cotemporary , which bases an interesting article on the subject as considered in the Oremboten . It is in Europe that , despite ea...

Unimpeachable Testimony . In Which Three-fifths of the People are Interested . GENUINENESS , KELIABILITY , EESPONSIBILITT . No Matter What Other Plan Has Failed , This Has Stood the Test of Time , For Doctor Sykes Has Been With Us Ten Years , and His Record Stands Unparalleled . Read What the People Say of DR . SYKES SURE CURE FOR CATARRH C . P . TEMPLE , Conlterville , Pa .. June 7 , 1877 , gays : I have used four packages of your remedy , and believe it is the only medicine in the market that ls just what It ls recommended to be— A Sure Cure . W . VILDA , Wllber , Saline Co .. Neb ., April 9 . 77 . says : •¦ Your Sure Cure is all you claim for it . E . A . CHILDS , Wrlghtstown , Wis ., Dec . 83 . 1879 . says : I thank the Lord I saw your advertisement . I was bad off with Catarrh , that had been dropping down on my lungs about a year . Your Sure Cure arrested Its course In about three days : it lias far exceeded my expectation . I recommend It to all who are suffering with Catarrh...

^ 5 ***^ 5 ; IT WILL PAY YOU TO READ THIS . The FARMERS REVIEW COMPANY has determined to make what may justly be termed the CHAMPION OFFER of the year , viz .: To every person whose yearly subscription is received BETWEEN THIS DATE and the 15 th DAY OP APRIL NEXT , we will send post-paid one of our beautiful Premium Engravings , HOMEWARD , NEARER MY GOD TO THEE , WOODLAND HOLTRS , or THE ORPHANS RESCUE . Read the descriptions of these elegant pictures on page 235 . N . B . — OBSERVE that this offer in no way conflicts with our regular premium offer of these pictures to those who send us new subscribers ; nor with our seed , or any other offers for new subscribers ; nor with any existing arrangements with agents or newsmen . All will be treated alike from whatever source received . REMEMBER that this offer will NOT be extended beyond the date mentioned , THE 15 TH DAT OP APRIL , 1880 . To get the benefit of \ this offer , your subscription MUST BE RECEIVED HERE on or before that date...

CHAFF . THAT AMATEUB FLUTE . Hear the fluter with his fluteSilver flute ! Oh , what a world of wailing is awakened by its toot ! How it deml-semi quavers On the maddened air of night ! And defieth all endeavors To escape the sound or sight Ot the flute , flute , flute , With its tootle , tootle , toot—With reiterated tooteling of exasperating toots , The long protracted tootelings of agonizing toots , Of the flute , flute , flute , flute , Flute , flute , flute , And the wheezingB and the spittings of its toots . Should he get that other flute — Golden fluteOb , what a deeper anguish will its presence institoot ! How his eyes to heaven hell raise , As he plays . All the days ! How hell stop us on our ways With its praise ! And the people , oh , the people , They dont live up in the steeple , Where he visitetn and plays—Where he plays , plays , plays—In the cruelest of ways , And thinks we ought to listen , And expect us to be mute , Who would rather have the earache Than the music o...